Favourite son John Worsfold to plot West Coast Eagles’ downfall in elimination final

Gaff talks about Eagles' loss

VideoAndrew Gaff talks about his disappointment after West Coast were stunned at home by Hawthorn.Video: via AFL Photos

The man at the heart of West Coast’s first three premierships will be intent on ending the club’s flag defence, after the Eagles were thrust into an elimination final against John Worsfold’s Essendon.

West Coast, who finished fifth after losing their last two games of the regular season, host the Bombers in the first elimination final at Optus Stadium at 6.10pm on Thursday September 5.

Eagle Nic Naitanui is on track to return, while Essendon are likely to regain a host of players from injury as they aim for their first finals win in 15 years.

Worsfold, who coached the Eagles to their 2006 flag triumph after being captain in 1992 and 1994, will return to Perth for a showdown with Adam Simpson as West Coast’s last two premiership coaches go head-to-head.

Having sat in the top four since round 14, the Eagles now face the nightmare scenario of having to win four consecutive knockout finals and travel for three straight weeks to win the flag.

No non-Victorian team has ever made the grand final from outside the top four under the current finals system.

A Brisbane win over Richmond at the MCG yesterday would have enabled West Coast to finish fourth, but the Tigers prevailed by 27 points.

The Eagles drifted to $7 with TABtouch for the flag, but they are red-hot favourites at $1.22 to dispose of the Bombers.

Camera IconJohn Worsfold and the Bombers will be looking to eliminate West Coast.Picture: via AFL Photos

West Coast will play the losers of the first qualifying final between Geelong and Collingwood in a semifinal if they win.

The Eagles are trying to put on a brave face as they steel themselves for the rocky road ahead, but to be forced into an elimination final is a disappointing outcome for a club that had designs on going back-to-back for the first time in its history.

West Coast ended the regular season with a 15-7 record, winning just one less game than minor premiers Geelong and finishing on level points with fourth-placed Collingwood.

But West Coast’s poor percentage came back to haunt them, having missed a top-four spot by 5.2 percentage points, or about 15 goals. Five of West Coast’s seven defeats were by more than six goals.

Entering round 22, the Eagles were two games plus percentage inside the top four. Losses to Richmond then Hawthorn on Saturday night, with two wins to the Magpies, meant they got caught in the perfect storm.

The Western Bulldogs won the premiership, and became the only grand finalists from outside the top four, after finishing seventh in 2016.

However, the Bulldogs didn’t have to travel in consecutive weeks thanks to two MCG finals.

The Eagles reserves qualified for the WAFL finals by beating East Fremantle yesterday, stretching Perth’s finals drought to 22 years.